Sustainability and Biodiversity at JFK International School
John F. Kennedy International School is a school community that encourages and supports its students to participate in an outdoor, active and sustainable educational lifestyle. The school advocates real-life learning opportunities regarding local and global sustainability and encourages students to understand the individual role that they can play in improving our ecosystem.
As part of reaching the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goals within its International Primary Years (IPC) and International Middle Years (IMYC) Programmes, the school made an active choice to support the Votre Cercle de Vie sustainable project in nearby Chateau d’Oex, Vaud.
One of the goals of this collaboration is to bring the children closer to nature and to understand the importance of the different actors for the balance of biodiversity.
Planting fruit trees, discovering permaculture vegetables, learning about bees and rare animals, or making cheese themselves are just some of the experiences JFK students have had at the biodynamic farm.
These various activities are designed to help students discover biodiversity, gain a real understanding of our natural habitat through practical projects, and raise awareness of its preservation.
This year, JFK grade 8 and 9 students have been directly involved in the envisaged eco-hotel. Students Stella and Salma from JFK explain the project on camera here.
JFK students develop creativity, problem solving and develop team building skills. This links back to our IMYC sustainable goals and future unit work. The students are able to reflect on their learning in their learning journals following all workshops, developing deeper thinking skills and reflective learning.
For both Votre Cercle de Vie and John F Kennedy International School, it is very important to educate students and raise awareness, especially among the younger generation, who will help to “build the world of tomorrow”, a more sustainable world.
When a child struggles to live up to his or her potential in school, parents, educators, and often the students themselves want to get at the root of the matter. While to some, a child may look “lazy” on the surface, his or her reluctance to do work or to engage at school may be the result of a deeper learning disability or a psychological issue that could be interfering with the child’s ability to learn.
